 Henry Enns: International Disabilty Rights Advocate - Sad Passing
Winnipeg, Manitoba...It is with deep regret that the Board of Directors and the staff of the Canadian Centre on Disability Studies announce the sudden death of Dr. Henry Enns, Executive Director of the Centre. Dr. Enns was 59. His death is attributed to an unanticipated heart attack.
Henry was a pioneer, an activist, and a visionary for people with disabilities. He was a leader at the local, national and international level all of his working life. At the age of 15 he contracted rheumatoid arthritis and by the age of 19 the disease put him in a wheelchair. His determined spirit saw him through school and on to university where he completed a Bachelor of Social Work degree.
Fellow activist and long-time friend, Jim Derksen, Chair of the Human Rights Committee of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) spoke highly of Henry in a CBC radio interview:
Henry was very involved in bringing the public and private sectors together in a common vision where disabled people would be economically and socially integrated into the lives of our communities...Henry had a real gift for seeing the essential kind of direction that was needed when other people would be disagreeing and the difference would be emphasized, he would find the common kind of element between people and then he'd find the words that would enable people to gather together and work together for a vision...He never forgot that he was as good as anyone else and he had a great contribution to make.
Henry's most recent work, the Canadian Centre on Disability Studies (CCDS), embodied his vision of an integrated approach to understanding disability. Henry was the driving force behind the establishment CCDS in 1995, a national organization, based in Winnipeg, that brings together different sectors to work together on research, education, awareness, and international development related to disability. In his role of Executive Director, Henry led CCDS to many tremendous achievements in Canada and around the world, including:
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A Masters Degree Program in Disability Studies at the University of Manitoba
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An Endowment Fund with a lead gift of $1 million by Human Resources Development Canada followed by a $500,000 gift by the Province of Manitoba.
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Partnership with the University of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba
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The establishment of the Royal Bank Research Chair in Disability Studies, based at CCDS
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The formation of the Disability Information Network, on-line services and resources for people with disabilities
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Projects in the Ukraine and Russia promoting democratic development and enhancing the lives of Russian and Ukrainian people, with an emphasis on persons with a disability.
At CCDS, Henry built upon twenty years of experience in international development work. Henry was instrumental in forming Disabled Peoples' International (DPI) in 1980/81 and during the United Nations Year of the Disabled (1981) assisted the organization in gaining a significant presence on the world stage. He travelled the world, visiting more than 80 countries during the UN Decade of Disabled Persons (1983-1992), serving DPI as President and Executive Director. In the years previous to that, Henry was active with the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) as well as the Association of Independent Living Centres. In the early 80s Henry was on the ground floor of the founding of the Winnipeg and Kitchener Independent Living Resource Centres. During the 80s he also acted as a disability consultant for the Mennonite Central Committee.
Henry died in Sri Lanka on Monday of this week while on a CCDS research project for the Asian Development Bank. He was accompanied by his wife, Dr. Olga Krassioukova.
The Executive Committee of CCDS has appointed Dr. Deborah Stienstra, Royal Bank Research Chair at CCDS as Acting Executive Director. The Executive Committee remains committed to Henry's work and our collective vision. The work of CCDS continues as an important legacy to the memory of Dr. Henry Enns.
Funeral services for Dr. Enns have been planned for Wednesday, August 21, 2002 at 1:30 p.m., Steinbach Mennonite Church, 345 Loewen Blvd., Steinbach, Manitoba. For more information and to arrange interviews, contact Robb Nickel, Communications Officer at CCDS, 204-287-8411 or communications@disabilitystudies.ca
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